#wait! this is a lone AI? that makes two then

[h-didanart]

Have this poor guy(idk if I did it correctly)

Bloodmoon(BSA au) wrote this for MB(Bloodmoon((TTRoDB au;formerly)))

They lost their first pen, and their second pen was dead...

Hello!

I’ve only known MB for a couple minutes, but if anything happened to them I’d kill everyone in my vicinity and then myself (joking, I’m joking, I just got very attached to them very quickly—). And their father is another Bloodmoon? Interesting.

Newest addition to the sensory safe area seems like, accommodations will be arranged. Really do feel for the fella, here’s to the therapy being able to help. Welcome MB, glad to have you here

[bluecollarmcandtf]

M O O N L I G H T ™

Pulling into the lonely gas station, my eyes quickly find what I'm looking for, a pair of blue lights emanating in the darkness. The glow is coming from the gas attendant's skull: clear indication that he's a Moonlight™ employee.

"Good evening, sir," he says with the overly-endearing tone of a gracious host, "How may I be of service tonight?

I don't hide my distaste for the pathetic menial worker, leaning on his mop and waiting for my reply like he's got the best job in the world. He doesn't actually believe that. He doesn't even know what he's saying, let alone doing!

"Just fill her up," I grunt.

"You got it, sir!" he beams, tending to my car with a pep that's out of place for the late hour.

Moonlight™ was the app that revolutionized working culture forever. It allows the user to sign up for a job while they sleep. All they have to do is doze off and some insufferable AI from Moonlight™ will resume control of the body via remote connection. People like it because they get paid work without experiencing all the boring hours and insincere customer interactions. Subsequently, they always get the same unbearably eager personalities stuffed in their bodies. Even without the glowing eyes, their idiotic grins would make them stand out a mile away!

"How has your day been, sir?" he contines mopping as the gas slowly pumps.

"Don't try to chat," I snap.

"Of course, sir," he doesn't miss a beat, smiling as he returns his neon gaze to the sidewalk he's swabbing.

I just roll my eyes and wander inside. The app doesn't record memories while it's in control, so this guy has no idea how humiliated he should feel. No one should have a shit-eating grin on their face working the night shift as a gas station janitor! I'd die before I gave up my dignity to Moonlight™ like this fucking loser!

On the TV behind the register, an ad plays...

The costumed man on the left steps forward and announces, "Join the revolution. There are over forty-two-million Moonlighter's taking advantage of their sleep! That could be you!"

The statistic makes me cringe. It's nearly doubled since the last time I checked...

The man on the far right of the screen happily taps in, adding, "We're constantly expanding our scope, so check with your employer! If your job doesn't already have a Moonlight™ option, then ask your boss to give you one!"

God, they're pressuring people now? Some jobs should not be done by an AI puppeteered Moonlighter...

Finally, the man in the center steps forward to deliver his lines, "Remember, Moonlighting is a safe and healthy way to not only make money but also get a good night's rest! Why work all day, when you can do it in your sleep!" his head turns, making it seem like he's smiling at either of his coworkers, "After all, we are!"

The three men laugh in unison, like true colleagues chumming up at work, but I know the truth. These three are worse than actors, they're empty marionettes for the Moonlight™ corporation. I doubt they'd ever even met each other in real life...

"Shut up!" I groan, smashing the power button to turn it off.

This world is going to shit. Moonlight™ has grown too large over the past year for there not to be some conspiracy or ulterior motive. I don't know what it is: the elite keeping the working class in their place, our government influencing our decisions, a foreign country converting us into their slaves! It all sounds crazy, but I don't think a single theory is impossible with an app like Moonlight™.

I'm the only one probing into this mess. I may have only worked as a detective for a few years, but I never did any of it fucking asleep!

A few days later, I track down my first lead...

"Good morning, sir," the garbage man says in that unnaturally smooth cadence they all have, "Is there any trash you need collected?"

"I just have some questions," I snort.

One hand pulls the hem of my shirt over my nose while the other swats at the flies. These garbage trucks are absolutely filthy. I doubt the garbage companies even bother washing them out anymore, but why should they if their workers are soulless husks without the ability to care? The man in front of me seems completely oblivious to the mixture of rotting smells and accompanying bugs. His glowing eyes don't even blink as a fly lands on his face, crawling through the hairs of his beard. He's probably lucky that he goes home with no memory of this downright awful job.

"Are you looking for employment with Moonlight™ incorporated?" his smiling lips stir the bug on his face, but it quickly buzzes into the moist retreat of the man's dark armpit, "I'd love to help you install the app and-"

"No," I cut, "Just open the truck. I accidentally threw out something I shouldn't have."

I study the man's frozen grin for anything. It's a test. The Moonlight™ AI is designed to accept demands from free-willed customers, but I have a suspicion that the building nearby is an undocumented base for the company. If I'm right, the company would hate for anyone to root through the garbage of their secret lab...

"...I apologize, sir, but the garbage has already been compacted, and it is unsafe for non-employees to look inside. Please let me know what it is you are looking for and I will search for you."

His artificial glee didn't wane, but the blue light in his eyes did flicker just barely. This guy might be asleep, walked around by remote AI tech, but I could still tell he was lying. I'd like to see one of the Moonlight™ detectives figure that out. As I said, some things are better done the old-fashioned way...

"Well, thanks anyway," I snark, planting a slap on his sweat-soaked back. He says something about it being his pleasure as he resumes handling the garbage, flies eternally buzzing around his smiling head and glowing eyes.

Continuing my investigation, I pop down in the sewer, looking for an underground entrance to Moonlight™'s secret lab...

"Are you lost, sir? Let me help you."

I've had to breathe through a mask to put up with the heavy cloud of steaming sewage, but the Moonlight™ septic worker seems fine, smiling with an open mouth, specks of God-knows-what dried on his teeth.

"No, I'm where I should be," I dismiss him and march past.

Suddenly a muddy glove sticks out and holds my chest. "I'm afraid you cannot pass, sir," his smile is as strong as ever, but the trademark glow of his eyes intensifies.

I've never felt more sure about my suspicions. This mind controlled worker seems ready to fight rather than let me pass. I wonder if this poor soul knows he's being used as a guard as well as being a Moonlight™ sewage worker.

"Why don't you show me the way out then," I relent.

"Of course, sir," his hand removes itself from my chest, leaving a dirty print, "The sewer is a dangerous place for civilians."

I follow as he marches me out of the sewer. It's better to leave and come back later with a plan. Today, I confirmed my suspicions, but tomorrow, I'll finally see what secrets they're cooking up in that lab. I return home and end the day with the satisfaction of being close to a major discovery. Sleep finds me quickly...

Waking up in my bed, I check my phone and find an unsettling message waiting for me...

"Congratulations on finishing your first shift with Moonlight™!" the text reads, "Here is a photo of you hard at work last night!"

"What the FUCK!"

I jump out of bed, but instantly everything feels off. My back aches and my legs are more tired than they were last night! My pajamas are uncomfortable, pinching in areas like someone else dressed me in them! My mind is racing with confusion, and an overwhelming sense of self-consciousness rushes over me. My face burns from the violation, but most of my fear is focused on the strange feeling lingering in the back of my private area.

"What did they do to me?" I try to be pissed, but all I can do is whimper.

Suddenly my phone rings...

"Hello," I growl.

"Good morning, sir," a familiarly gracious man's voice rolls through the call.

"Tell me who the fuck this is!"

"Someone who noticed you snooping the other day, sir," his voice sounds like it's smiling.

Suddenly it clicks. Whoever's calling me from Moonlight™ would never use their own phone and voice. They must be using some poor schmuck that thinks he's working an honest job right now. How am I ever supposed to find who's behind all these layers of lies?

"You can hind behind your brainless puppets," I sneer, "But I will not stop looking into this fucked up company!"

"But now you're one of our puppets, sir. I'm not sure how much credibility a detective has if he spends his nights working the room at the dirtiest club in town..."

"That's sick..." I whisper, thinking about the picture on my phone. The idea of me gleefully stripping for a room of disgusting old men makes me shiver.

"Good luck with your investigation, sir," the voice continues, "But just understand that every time you sleep, your body will get up and report to that club. I have to admit that you're hiding a rather tight body under that trench coat of yours."

"You were there?" I mutter.

"Oh I had to meet the man poking his nose where it didn't belong, sir. I got very familiar with you. You were very friendly last night, so I poked something of mine where it didn't belong."

The voice on the other line laughs, and all I feel is utter humiliation. I hang up the call and stare at the photo he'd sent. It was me alright, smiling like a maniac in the gayest outfit I've ever seen. I didn't like my body being dressed like that. I hate that I was happily busting my ass for the enemy. He had to have been getting off at my humiliation last night. I'm sure he relished every second of what he did to me. I don't even want to think about the sensation left in my ass.

I need to push this investigation faster.

Because tonight, when I go to sleep, I'll be helpless to prevent this from happening again.

[getoed5725]

about Gojo, Geto, Shoko, loneliness and love

spoilers for 220

written by my local monkey friend that i got permission to translate! don't take it as actual fact though, this is from our overall perspective from reading the latest chapter.

===========

In Shoko's memory, there's an image of Gojo with the loosed white bandages, who said "I won't let anyone be alone (独り/hitori) anymore" so you can see, the memory is around a year before the main events of jjk (~2017), and the time when vol 0 occured.

Speaking of vol 0, there was a scene at the beginning when Gojo was talking to Yuuta when he received death sentence by the higher ups, he said something similar: "But being alone (一人/hitori) is very lonely?"

They (独り/一人) have they same pronounciation (hitori), but 一人 is to count the number, and 独り is the state of being lonely. For example, you are in a room with 10 people => you're not alone (一人), but you can still feel lonely (独り). Basically, you can be surrounded by many and can still feel lonely. And in chap 220, what Gojo doesn't want his students to go through anymore, is being lonely (独り). on top of that, he used もう誰も (no other (person) anymore) which means Gojo himself had to go through that state, or he witnessed someone else going through it.

What Gojo wanted is "I won't let any other person be lonely anymore", not "I won't let anyone be lonely", meaning he doesn't want the PAST to reoccurred, so it's not him just being kind out of goodwill or anything. The reason for it is to make up for the past he went through.

Back to the subject individual of "being alone" state, Shoko, as one of the 2 people in Gojo's beautiful 3 years of youth, has given the right answer: "Truthfully, being in love (愛/ai) with either of you guys (オマエら/omaera) is something that will never happen even if the world falls down. But I was there (with you) too, what do you mean alone, you idiot. There's this bunch of monsters waiting for you to come back".

Gojo himself never mentions who is the individual behind that "loneliness", himself or someone else, but Shoko can immediately realize what he means. And that is because she links "being alone" with "you guys" (オマエら) (Gojo and Geto), and at the same time thinking about them during school. A Geto Suguru who felt alone with his spiral, with the insane ideals that he thinks no one could understand; and a Gojo who felt alone even though he stood among many peers and comrades because he lost the feeling of standing side by side with someone equal during his "first and last blue spring".

Next, we need to pay attention to the word "love" (愛) that Shoko uses.

Shoko uses 愛 (ai) when talking about her relationship (or lack thereof) between her and her two friends. In most cases, this word means romantic love, and it is heavier than the use of like (好き/suki). She is denying to hell and back that never ever in this life that she has feelings for them ("even if the world falls down"), but she "was there" too. It means she admits that she cannot provide (romantic) love for either of them, but she is still there for them as a friend. So, it would be stupid that you can't escape the feeling of loneliness, cannot escape the past.

The above sentence is suspicious, I must say. If you wanna show that Gojo's not going to be lonely with friends and students by his side, then this whole panel and confession of NOT being in love with either of Gojo or Geto are completely unneccessary if you really think about it. And if you want to show that you understand no one can replace a "bestfriend" for Gojo like Geto, then the word "love" is also not neccessary. Not to mention she uses 愛. Yuta uses that word for Rika in the battle. Yorozu said she will give Sukuna this bc she truly loves him.

So why does Shoko use such a term in the negative tone? Why does she want Gojo to know that friendship can also erase loneliness, not just "love"? Isn't it because in Shoko's eyes, Gojo feels that he has lost his "love"? During that 3 years of youth, Gojo never felt lonely because Geto was by his side. So when Geto left, no other person could help Gojo escape that feeling of loneliness anymore. In other words, there's no reason to bring up the idea of love if it's not to underline that it is what Shoko sees in them. Hence the panel is from her POV: it is only Gojo and Geto in that panel, after all.

Shoko confirmed herself. That even though she was "still there", even though "a bunch of monsters" were there surrounding Gojo, he still can't let go of the past, he still thinks that he's "lonely" all this time. "What do you mean alone, you idiot. I was there too". Yes she was there too. Even though she was there. Gojo cannot escape loneliness because Geto has gone. That is the reason why Geto is, and still is Gojo's "bestfriend, the only one he has".

In conclusion (tl/dr):

1. Gojo has not moved on

2. Gojo's current dream/ideal (not letting anyone alone, not letting anyone take away the youth of the young children) is because he wants to make up for the past

3. Shoko knows she can't provide them what they yearn for to truly feel happy when they were together (愛/love), but her and the students can give him care and support and companionship, so he shouldn't said that he's lonely

4. Gojo with Geto by his side is a Gojo who is not lonely

==========

I didn't expect to get more insight into Shoko's POV of the whole ordeal, but I'm glad we did. Shoko's denial of being in love with them isn't just there for no reason. There is no reason for her, of all people, to bring such a topic up under such circumstances: the children are going to fight to the death to save him and others. Shoko is also calling him out for thinking he's been alone, even though her and others are there for him. Which is... very sad to me. Geto is such a huge loss to Gojo, such an irreplacable existence, that when he's gone from this world, he made a huge void, and Gojo keeps gazing into that void, thinking he's lonely. He doesn't want anyone to be lonely like that, when Shoko calls his bullshit out because he has friends!!! He losed his love, and Shoko can't bring his love back, but she and the kids are there to support him in other ways too!!

I'm not saying this perspective is correct and canon, but it just makes so much sense that way for me. Gege has been playing the vague game about Gojo and Geto's relationship since v0, what with the mysterious last words, and now this mysterious love from Shoko's POV. I just love Satosugu and how Gege builds their relationship.

[the-white-void]

THOSE LOST IN TIME SEARCHING FOR WHAT CANNOT BE FOUND

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Caged little bird - You, who once held so much power, abandoned it all for freedom from the one who loved you most, yet, they still crawl from the death of your mind to drag you back.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Escape of the Burdened Oni - one unworthy of such treatment, you grant them the presence of your benevolence (date).

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Mine Mother - One favoured by the world's sentience

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Divine Mischief - Oh, mischievous god toys around with their little followers.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Little Bird, why do you Sing such a sad Tune - those of the dive favour their pet, until it runs away and meets its one look-alike from another world.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Bloody Mary - Blood of gold stained the soil of the world that was supposed to revere your name, yet, you treated like a vile villain that plagued this world. And when the world knew the truth, only carnage filled your eyes.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ "O Divine Creator, we humbly bow to you whilst you're on your throne-" I'M ON MY TOILETTE!!! - As you innocently play Genshin on your phone, the seven Archons that are known in the game claim you as their creator. All while you were releasing the remains of the sustenance you had from the past two days.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ You are my only Haven -  A little girl watches over a human that she has waited so long to meet “Will you please wake up? I’m really lonely” she whispers hoping to see your eyes and hear your voice.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Teyvat's Diary - Teyvat, a small oblivious creature, only sees the world formed on her by humans through eyes that do not belong to her. All her thoughts were written in her diary.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Teyvat's opinion about the children - what the sentience of teyvat thinks about the children.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Unbounded by the trivial - You are an imposter but you don’t really care about anything anymore so you just let it be, it’s not like if you try hard enough you could change it.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ "Who are you? Wait, there's TWO?!" - simple texts between what was supposed to be nothing but an AI, yet, how did casual texting two Tsaritsa's end up with both coming to your world.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Moving On - You're moving away. We want you back.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ My Momma - little scenarios with a child’s mother figure

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Otherworldly Things *Part 2- The archons come to your world but cannot return to theirs, so they start getting to know yours.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ La Seine (Monster in Paris AU) - Running away from the captors along with a friend, you find yourselves in a bar where you end up dancing together to hide from the guards.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Let the Play Begin - The Imposter is caught. How shall the play end?

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Life, Death, Rebirth - ��Thee hadst been thrown into teyvat wh’re i did rule. Thou art mine own heir, mine own physical f'rm, yet those daws besmirch t by leaving thee with scars and wounds. And i shall nay longeth'r standeth aside while those imbeciles taketh our headeth”

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ "The Story" 1 2 3 4 - This story is a Samsara, one you cannot control. *WARNING* this work may contain topics or language that may make some audiences uncomfortable.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ Scriptor De Re - The Traveler is known for their grand accomplishment throughout Teyvat, but who pulls the strings behind the scenes.

Special

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖₊˚⊹ Interactive Player AU - A story you build. You decide each choice [name] makes. And each choice could change how the story progresses and ends.

✧˖°. How it works - You send an ask of who your character is and where they start. The story begins until you need to make the choice again, there, the fic will stop until you decide what happens next. Long story short, a role-playing game.

Works

Dès le Début: Noraa 1 by: @udretlnea

[d-criss-news]

See an exclusive first look at Darren Criss’ return to Broadway in Maybe Happy Ending

The "Glee" actor stars as a Helperbot named Oliver, opposite Helen J. Shen making their Broadway debut as Claire.

There’s nothing new about an awkward meet-cute turning into a love story… But what if that love story is between two robots?

That’s the question posed by Maybe Happy Ending, a new musical coming to Broadway this fall, starring Emmy-winning Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story actor Darren Criss. The show also marks the Broadway debut of Helen J. Shen (The Lonely Few) and Dez Duron (The Voice). Featuring a book by Will Aronson and Hue Park, with music by Aronson and lyrics by Park, Maybe Happy Ending is helmed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island), with scenic design by Dane Laffrey (A Christmas Carol).

Ahead of its debut, Entertainment Weekly has your exclusive first listen to the show, with a music video of Criss and Chen’s emotional duet, "When You’re in Love.”

Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen in "Maybe Happy Ending". MAYBE HAPPY ENDING THE MUSICAL/YOUTUBE

The musical — a big hit in its native South Korea, winning six 2016 Korean Musical Awards and the Richard Rodgers Production Award for the English-language version — made its American debut at Atlanta’s Alliance theater in 2019. Now the show is coming to the Great White Way with Criss and Shen as Oliver and Claire, two outcast HelperBots whose initial awkward encounter evolves into an unexpected relationship.

“There's a real pathos that kind of snuck up on me with these two,” Criss told EW of the HelperBot romance. “You think, 'Oh, cute, like androids falling in love, that sounds sweet.' But there's a lot more to that when you start to examine what it is to not only love something or someone, but the inexorable, unavoidable back end of love, which is loss.” Oliver is living the simple life of an outdated HelperBot when the story begins, tending to plants and listening to jazz in his one-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Seoul. Then Claire comes by to borrow a charger, and changes everything. The video finds the HelperBots united by emotion, yet far apart as they process the swirling feelings of being in love for the first time. “When you’re in love, you’re never satisfied,” they lament. “The thing you want is always out of reach.”

By the end, they’re piecing together both the joys and painful realities of their newfound feelings. They sing, “Now I’m hoping that you feel all the things I feel / Wishing that you want me to sit beside you /Wanting now to learn all the things you are / Waiting for a chance to invite you in my heart.” If the prospect of seeing two bots find love isn’t enticing enough, Criss jokes that empathizing with the characters will at least give audiences a leg up in the AI apocalypse. “If there's any incentive to come see the show — other than a wonderful theatrical experience with a lot of beautiful universal themes and all that great stuff and fantastic music, and hopefully good performances — if not that, it's at least to soften the punishment and wrath of the AI takeover,” he laughed. Maybe Happy Ending begins previews at the Belasco Theatre on Wednesday, September 18. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning on Thursday, June 6 at 10AM.

Watch the "When You're In Love" music video above and read more of Criss' thoughts on the HelperBot romance below.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Can you start by telling me a little bit about Oliver and what's at the core of this character for you? Well, I'll tell you what, this is the first time I'm ever really doing any kind of talking about a show that I haven't had much familiarity with yet. And I'm not saying that to avoid talking about it so much as to highlight the unique nature of my involvement in this show because, at least if we're talking about the theater, specifically Broadway Theater, every show that I've ever done came with something of a legacy and was a show that I would have been very familiar with, and I think audiences at large, for the most part would've had a history with it.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was my Broadway debut, massively popular, classic Broadway show, people knew it. Second one was, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I grew up as a teenager loving that show. And then the revival of American Buffalo, that's now a standard contemporary American classic and studied that in drama school and yada yada yada. So when talking about the show, I had a really good handle because the show had lived with me for most of my life. [Maybe Happy Ending] is a brand new show, which is wildly exciting. But I have yet to figure out that answer. I can tell you what his core is on paper, which is that Oliver is a Helperbot, something like a hundred years in the future where our technology helpers — in the way that we have our Alexas, and our Siris, and our digital systems, and our smart assistants — have evolved into more humanoid representations. He is a Model 3 in the world of Model 5's and is very much outdated, and kind of running the last of his powered up life in the world that we're watching him and coming to grips with the things that left him behind.

We got a little taste of it in the music video, but what do you think it is about the Oliver and Claire relationship that people will respond to? Or what did you respond to? There's nothing like being able to look at ourselves by looking through the eyes of things that aren't us. I find the most I'm ever moved about the human experience comes from animated films where you have non-human characters trying to figure out human emotions. It's a really great way for audiences to subconsciously look at their own experience objectively. It's funny that it takes inhuman characters to examine humanity in a way that feels somehow accessible. If you see yourself up there, it maybe hits too close to home. But you might think about it a little differently if you're suddenly looking at things through the objective lens of a true outsider — be it a cartoon fox or a mermaid wanting to be human.

So having said that, this is a story about two HelperBots, two robots “falling in love." Of course, they're not human, so they can't physically, literally intimately actually fall in love, but they have to sort of figure out what that means by way of how they've experienced human beings themselves, by cues they've gotten from their own owners and from the world around them. And when you start examining things like love, things like loss through the eyes of non-humanoid things that are trying to computationally analyze and synthesize those things, you sort of start to look at them in a different way. There are many things about the show — the premise was very interesting, and I think the design is exquisite, it's a wonderful theatrical experience. Getting to work with a longtime friend, Michael Arden is such a joy, and there's so many things about that that make this appealing to me. And of course the music is fun, and it's cute, and funny, and charming. But there's a real pathos that kind of snuck up on me with these two. You think, 'Oh, cute, like androids falling in love, that sounds sweet.' But there's a lot more to that when you start to examine what it is to not only love something or someone, but the inexorable, unavoidable back end of love, which is loss. And how do we deal with that? How and why do human beings willingly enter this contract if we know that on the other side of it, there is something that will hurt and that can hurt because love does come with loss, whether it's loss of self, loss of wholeness.

And this show really shows a really beautiful balance of these beings trying to suss out thousands of years of human meditation — of all the hundred thousand songs and poems and stories that have tried to help us understand this balance of love and loss, and the highs and the lows of it are pretty profound. er. In “When You’re In Love” there's the sentiment that being in love is the loneliest you can be. Is that something that you immediately connected with, or was that surprising?

I think that song's very interesting because it's them putting the pieces together. Many lines in the song that talk about how being loved does just constantly leave you with a sense of longing. Which I think goes back into the main thesis, which is love in many ways is loss. They kind of coexist in this yin-yang. It's just one's much more fun and more accessible to talk about, but they kind of come hand in hand. Again, the systematic exploration of all of the ones and zeros of what love is — it's a lot of ones, but it is also a lot of zeros, and one of those things is being lonely and the feeling of not being whole without a certain thing. Which I think is a really good connector to what this show talks about, which is the function of the things in our life that we lose. It is funny that we are getting closer and closer to the realities of what this show presents and suggests. The idea that Siri could be a person in a hundred years isn't absurd, it's not a crazy idea. Even talking about things like robots or artificial intelligence, it's an immediate thing that is part of the cultural fabric and a continual discussion about how and where and why it's going to be part of our life.

But even without talking about those sort of more sci-fi leaning things, technology is in many ways, like people in our life. I mean, people treat their phones like babies. We have attachments to our phones and the way that we need them in our lives and the way we care for them and the reliance we have on them. And the idea of shelf life and things being outdated, we're pretty comfortable with. It's more comprehensible with tech and objects. But it's funny that we have this cognitive dissonance between that and the idea of things being outdated and out of its prime is harder to grasp and a harder pill to swallow with people, and it's a harder journey to go on with people. But what happens when our objects become closer in likeness and experience to people? How are we going to wrap our brains around that and how will they wrap their brains or their programming around that? And how will they feel? Will they feel at all? How will they feel about their impermanence as it relates to ours and vice versa? So there's a lot of really, really nice questions being asked in this show.

Are you finding that it's changing your relationship to Siri and Alexa and your technology? As of now, absolutely not. Well, maybe in the future. Maybe. I'll bite my tongue… In a few years, who knows? She's listening. I'll be nice to you Siri, I promise. As long as you're nice to me when you decide to take over the planet. Well, after you've played a Helperbot, you've got an in. Hopefully that'll soften the AI takeover, they'll let us loose. If there's any incentive to come see the show — other than a wonderful theatrical experience with a lot of beautiful universal themes and all that great stuff and fantastic music, and hopefully good performances — if not that, it's at least to soften the punishment and wrath of the AI takeover. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

[danger-bird]

"Obedience suits you, sparrow."

Ok,ok... listen....hear me out....... This story has been buzzing, festering in my hippocampus since yesteday, and now that I had time I slammed it out on a keyboard. It IS my OC-incert, so it's not technically an Ais x gn!reader, but I did avoid names in case a few crazy eyes, possession and a light sprinkle of amnesia is no biggie... Have fun, okie byee❤️ *scampers off , hides in their cave*

“Obedience suits you, Sparrow.”

Their small talk turned into a teasing banter quickly enough. They’ve been having a sneaking suspicion his worrying about them “almost dying again, running into a Soulless, or another roughneck”, is just him finding excuses to spend more time together. Not that they mind - even with his escorts, the walks always end too quickly.

They bark out a laugh as they turn a corner, slipping into the twisting backstreets behind the Wick. The night is cold, moonless - there are very few people outside, walking around the city.

“Since when? Either way, blind obedience is no fun - I thought you liked a challenge.”

It would be pitch black if not for the light seeping through the windows of the houses lining the narrow alleys. It’s dark – but not dark enough to miss the smirk stretching over his face.

“I do. Making it a challenge, then?”

“Do you want me to make it a challenge?” - they tease and peer up at his face, waiting for a reaction. His expression shifts somehow, but they can’t quite place in what way. He looks at them quietly, not saying anything, so they shift their gaze ahead and shake their head with an exhale, a light smile on their lips.

“Sparrows have been given wings to fly, Ais. I’ll never give you obedience like this.”

He gives a weak smile that drops immediately. His expression is unreadable. They hurry a few steps forward, trying to avoid his unnerving gaze.

He slows down, feeling his thoughts rippling at the edges, unfurling like a loose-knit cloth. His consciousness gradually sinks backwards as he quickly loses sensation in his skin, his hands, his face. The realization hits a moment too late.

Numbly, he can feel another presence emerging forward - a looming darkness casting an impenetrable shadow over his mind, wrapping its sticky tendrils around hazy thoughts, a horrible dread reaching forward…

In an instant, a sharp pain splits through his head, his awareness violently yanked forward like being pulled out of water. A low chime reverberates through his mind, overwhelming his senses… and keeping only his thoughts in focus, drowning out any other to barely a whisper.

“You can’t just take someone’s free will. You certainly can’t have mine. You can earn loyalty, my friendship… but that’s not the way to do it.”

They turn back to look at him, eyes radiating an unnatural shimmer: the color of blazing hot sunlight beaming off of molten gold. In the dim alleyway, their glow is bright enough to cast a light over their face, making their solemn expression that much more unsettling. Any other voices are now nothing more than a muffled babble. Their quiet, serene voice is stretching and twisting, almost splitting in two as it barely coalesces into an audible sound. Despite that, their words ring loud and crystal-clear in his head.

“A good heart means nothing without conviction… and a heart without conviction cannot be helped by anybody. Until your heart finds the conviction to seek out its own goodness, don’t come looking for mine.”

They turn around and take a few steps forward, stopping right before turning a corner and speaking quietly, still facing the street ahead.

“…Loyalty is not the same as obedience. It’ll do you good to learn the difference.”

They disappear behind the corner of a building without so much as looking back. The alley suddenly feels cold again, a drift whistling through the narrow streets between buildings and pouring onto the main street ahead. The dim light from a lone lamppost on the corner shivers before flickering out completely.

.

.

.

When they enter the Wet Wick, their head is swimming, unable to remember what happened after the alarming sense of unease washed over them back there. Mind still hazy, they drag themselves to the bar when Leander calls them over, Kuras keeping an eye on them as they approach.

[petalsscribbles]

22. until the end of time (final)

Yn waits at the meeting place, a nice spot in the park under falling petals of sakuras. Perhaps the dreamy, romantic atmosphere can somehow enchant Sunghoon into giving Yn a chance.

He put an effort and thought into his look to sway the odds in his favour. While he's almost sure his favourite reading spot will turn to a place of heartbreak, a reminder of a failed first love, he decided to not give up right away, so he foolishly granted himself a sliver of hope to cling to.

He sits anxiously on the bench, fidgeting with the small gift in his hands and going over his admitedly sappy speech. Perhaps he should've written it down. Or maybe even ask some kind of AI to write it for him. He's not here yet, maybe Yn can cancel last minute and ask to reschedule so he can prepa-

"Yn!"

Nevermind.

Sunghoon strides towards a petrified Yn, turned to stone by how needlessly handsome Sunghoon looks as if he just looked into the eyes of a medusa.

"Did you wait long?" He asks, sitting down too close for Yn's sanity's comfort.

"No. You're right on time."

"So, what are we doing? You were pretty cryptic about it." He states. he isn't wrong. Yn did ask him to meet at the most random time seemingly for no reason at all. Yn is sure Sunghoon is smart enough to know a surprise is coming.

Well, surprise is one way to put it. Yn would describe it more like a slap that came out of nowhere. Or maybe even an guerilla style ambush, depending on how appaled Sunghoon will be in a minute or two.

"There's something I need to tell you." He says, getting up and picks a place in front of Sunghoon to stand on. He hands him the gift he prepared - small red box. Sunghoon opens it with warm yet slightly confused smile. There's a simple silver pendant inside, in the shape of the sickle moon.

"Yn, what is this?"

"I bought it because I noticed the Moon was always at this stage when some important things happened between us. The night I had a nightmare and you came to me, the night you kissed me, when I became your blood servant and..." He trails off and takes a deep breath to take the final leap.

"And?"

"And when I realized I have feelings for you."

"Y-you what?" Sunghoon asks and stands up so abruptly Yn takes a step back in surprise.

"I like you." He repeats, looking down on his feet. "I'm sorry."

Yn can't lie, he's a little mad that he wasted all the time coming up with a perfect confession for nothing, but at least the truth is out.

It hangs in the air between them, a big question mark burning right below it. Will Sunghoon accept his clumsy confession, or will he let him down?

Turns out neither option came true, because instead of talking Sunghoon invades Yn's space with one long stride. With his finger curled under Yn's chin, he makes him meet his eyes and connects their lips moments after.

It's very different from their first kiss but not quite. It's all feelings and no passion, no lust or need but Yn feels butterflies in his stomach all the same.

Either way, it's the best answer Yn could hope for.

Much to Sunghoon's dismay, Yn pulls away the moment he hears someone approaching.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume you like me too."

"God, you have no idea how much." He says, still sounding as if he can't believe the situation.

"I guess now we belong to each other completely."

A/n: another smau successfully and happily behind us. Thank you once again for all the love and support you've given Bitter Blood and I'll see you soon with lovesick Matthew in Intertwined <3

taglist CLOSED

@starchasing-cryptid @foxilsdenn @moonslie04 @kkurbys @winter-world @lonely-hearts-club-s2 @gnusihcom @dkmyman @mortifesboy @kkyoluv @teoluvsyou @bubblztaro @conwunder @xavi-in-kpopland @monstaxpuppy @gabrielllx @tarotarosung @livingsecret @onementally-unstabel-kid @axolotl04 @hwalleluja @lisaswifey @academiq @stargirl-library

prev masterlist next

[screamingcrows]

Pyrogenic Sprouts III

Notes: Let this be my first venture into writing Wuthering Waves, unedited and made without a single thought in my mind except Mortefi spinning like a rotisserie chicken. One more chapter to go Part one and two are somewhere on my blog. Keep this out of AI. Tags: Mortefi x reader, first meeting, fluff, hurt, mild blood, reader is not Rover, strangers to lovers Minors, blank and ageless blogs DNI

Afternoon teas with Mortefi had quickly become a staple of your routine, rendering you barely able to recall the dreary time where you simply closed shop and went to your tiny room to sleep. First you were frequenting various cafés, but a single comment from him, as far from sugar-coated as could be, and a subsequent challenge by you, had quickly meant meeting in the comfortable confines of his home.

You'd felt a little guilty at first, having come to know how he enjoyed his privacy, but after multiple attempts at reinstating the outings, Mortefi had outright refused to go back to that.

'The ambience here is far more comfortable, and you've yet to complain about the pastries I bake.'

And he was right. Though at first glance his home had the aura of one obsessed with functionality, all clean lines and pristine whites, little keepsakes were hidden away in corners if one were to look closely enough.

A single bent coin, three red marbles, a worn leather ball, candies not of his own making, and a few dried flowers. 'Payment' was what he'd referred to them as, reverently running his fingers along the seams of a well-loved doll.

Then there were the bouquets he still insisted on buying practically every day, a ridiculous amount of full vases making the little space smell like a field of flowers. It was amusing to have confirmation that they'd been for himself, though you'd refrained from more teasing than a knowing smirk the first time. It had been enough for his ears to match the crimson locks of hair. 

Loathe as you were to admit it but recalling his satisfied smile when you praised his cooking, the way your fingers would brush when you walked alongside each other, the comforting silence that sometimes ensued while the tea brewed, not to mention when he leaned forward in concentration giving you a generous glimpse of his chest-

Your thoughts scattered like loose petals caught in the wind as a loud crash followed by the slosh of water reached your ears. Ah, you'd knocked a bucket over. Luckily, it had been almost empty, a few lonely pecok flowers now on the ground, one having been trampled by your foot. Heat crept up your face as you sighed, lost in thought again.

That had become more frequent as well.

Mortefi's chuckle bounced around his laboratory, satisfaction filling his veins as he pushed back the chair, head tipping backwards as his eyes closed in relief.

Finally. Finally he'd managed.

Atop the desk sat a little sentinel, not wholly unlike the ones Xiangli utilized, except this one was perhaps far more complex. Mechanically at least. It didn't reach the same levels of intelligence or data processing capabilities, but that had been irrelevant for the purpose. With a gloved hand he'd never admit to the shakiness of, he reached to press the hidden switch located towards the bottom of its rounded body. 

The faint click mixed with his small intake of air, a moment of fear that threatened to morph to despair as nothing happened. Before his hand could reach for his pocket, the relative silence was broken by a soft humming.

Little wings unfolded from the side, the iridescent material glittering like stained glass under the harsh light of his lab. Though it had ended up taking far longer than hoped, he blamed the countless scrapped drafts clogging up his bin, moderations made almost daily the more he learned about your preferences, it had turned out quite sweet.

And functional. 

Mortefi reached for the small tissue sample taken from a hoartoise that had waited expectantly atop his desk, taking a deep breath before tossing it towards the sentinel. Immediately, the alarm went off, a rumbling sound that was immediately felt as much as heard, chosen to be as subtle as possible while getting the job done. Before the sample could fall to the steel surface, a flash of light erupted from the little sentinel, piercing a hole clean through and leaving the remnants to dissolve when they landed.

While unable to visually detect enemies - that would've been a nightmare to program reliably - its body had been covered in tiny sensors that detected vibrations in the air, enabling the differentiation between various creatures. 

Deadly to lesser threats and giving you ample time to flee from anything larger. He reached for the little thing, pleased with the softness of its ebony surface. Your preference for soft-looking creatures hadn't caught him unaware, it was as sweet as it was predictable. It was easy to visualize you curling up in his couch with a cat, perhaps two. Domestic and calm, you wouldn't have to worry about anything, and he would have someone to come home to, he just had to-

But that was the crux of the problem. He had to ask. Had to figure out what exactly the two of you were doing.

Used to navigating complicated settings, this particular stalemate bothered him in ways he hadn't thought possible. Usually straightforward with your words, wouldn't you have already suggested the transition from friends? Or were you still only acquaintances? His fingers had begun to tap against the little robot, dutifully turning it off and setting it aside for now, he'd give it to you later.

A shaky breath forced its way out of his lungs, unease long forgotten gnawing at his bones. You wouldn't simply move on and forget him once he handed it over. You hadn't asked for it in the first place, turned down any of his attempts at gifting you well, pretty much anything. And there'd been nothing in those pleasant eyes suggesting it was deception. He was being paranoid, that was all.

At first he didn't notice, too caught up in his own mind to register the faint buzz of his terminal. The second time felt a little more assertive, even if he logically knew there was no difference.

'I won't have time this afternoon. An old lady came by- requested a bouquet for tomorrow with irises. Have to get them today, sorry.' 'I'll see you tomorrow, right?'

Not even signed with your name, you'd probably already adorned the durable gloves he'd left for you to find a while back, remembering with a smile how your hands no longer looked painfully covered in little gashes, less hesitation in your movements as well. A simple 'Be careful.' was already sent your way, unrest creeping into his mind as time suddenly stopped mattering.

If he weren't meeting you, what was the point of leaving already?

His back straightened, a small grumble leaving his lips at how you'd managed to make his afternoon tradition dependent on an external variable. It simply wasn't a comforting ritual without company anymore. 

Clouds had gathered in the horizon, dark grey and threatening to open up with furious rain at any moment. His cup was still half full when it clattered to the ground, porcelain shattering into a thousand pieces beneath the blue hologram that flickered to life.

Something ran down the side of your face, both from your eyes and further up. You were clutching your legs. Sitting down most likely. Your chest was moving far too rapidly. 

Mortefi's ears were ringing, vision threatening to give out as he saw your lips move beyond a wobble. You were saying something, wiping your eyes before continuing. His hands shook as he slowly stood up, thankful for the durability of his lighter, the frantic clicking as he opened and closed it would've surely broken a lesser thing.

What were you saying? Oh he was missing it all-

Missing your final words.

He shook his head to clear those thoughts and saw your eyes widen when he reached for the flickering light, desperate to pull you into his embrace and away from whatever you were talking about, heart still pounding too loudly for any words to reach his mind. Not even the steady tick of his clock pierced the daze.

Your head snapped to the side, plush lips parting before you were scrambling to stand. Mortefi wished he hadn't caught what you said just before you left him alone in his living room, leaving him to stumble backwards, vision swimming as bile rose in his throat. The robot lay discarded in the entrance, and he was glad it wasn't in his field of vision, at least being spared its mockery. He'd been too late again.

'I'm sorry. I don't think I'll make it tomorrow-'

Final part (NSFW)

[da-birb-writes-sometimes]

Hello hello! May I request a Floyd drabble taking inspiration place in the original disney's classic (where honest John and Gideon are based of) version of playful land "pleasure island" (except they don't turn into donkeys there, maybe just wood puppets).

But basically on what he would do there ^^

I'll wait til next time requests are open to ask for jade too since there is a character limit, also so you don't overwork yourself!

Thanks!

Nothing More Fun than Friends

Content; Fluff, gender-neutral reader

Word Count; 550+

Author's Note; I haven't watched any translations, so this is just my own guess at what's in the park (I did look into the wiki for Pleasure Island, which is ... interesting).

Do not put my work into AI, I can and will turn you into a puppet   Link to Masterlist

Bright lights, flashing, blinking, spinning. These lights reminded Floyd of fireworks, just with the loud bang of gunpowder replaced with cheery and fast-paced music.

There were games all around, and countless fast rides that were bound to get his blood racing. 

And there were no rules.

No adults are here to enforce them. 

There was no Azul to remind him how to act, and Jade was elsewhere amusing himself.

So Floyd was alone, alone with all of the fun choices he could pick from. Yet, none were all that enticing.

Yes, they would be fun in the moment, but he knew that after the second or third time, he would grow bored of it, moving to the next thing. Plus, he was getting a vibe from that Honest guy; he knew a schemer when he saw one. He knew to not trust him, so his guard was up, and his mood dour.

“Like a reef,” he grumbled, looking up at the bright lights. 

His analogy wasn’t far off; although it may be bright and full of life, a reef is home to many dangers, it just looks more safe from the abundance of it. And much like many reef fish, those two (Fellow and Gidel) were most likely hiding something up their sleeve.

Game knew game, and he knew they were fishing for something.

He slowly walked up to one of the many games, eyeing the prizes. None of them really screamed to him, but he just wanted something to do.

But there was no one manning the game. Floyd could just steal one of the prizes, but that was no fun and too easy.

Eh, wonder where Shrimpy is? They could make this place more fun.

Floyd’s eyes lit up; yes, even in a place called Playful Land there was no one more amusing than pestering you.

“Shrimpyyyyy~,” he called out and ran up to you once he found you, wearing a wide smile. “Heyya!”

You jerked in surprise, but sighed once your brain registered that hey, it’s just Floyd. “Heyya yourself,” you chuckled. “Did you find anything fun?”

Floyd’s smile briefly flattered, “No. This place is a dump.”

A dump? I thought he would be all over this place? Huh, guess I was wrong then. Weird. 

“Nothing?”

Floyd shrugged, looking around at everything with boredom. “Nah. Plus none of this is any fun without someone tagging along.”

So he was lonely? “Well, wanna join me on this ride?” You asked him, nodding your head towards an empty line for the drop tower.

Floyd looked towards the ride, and back towards you, his face lighting up. He grabbed your hand and marched over to the ride. “Okay, Shrimpy!”

The buckles magically did themselves up, and slowly, the two of you made the slow trip upwards. Everything started shrinking, getting smaller and smaller until it stopped at the top.

Floyd was laughing loudly, but he was holding onto his supports for dear life, knuckles turning white. “Isn’t this great?!”

“Dropping in three–”

You gulped, looking down briefly. 

“Two—”

You closed your eyes.

“One!”

And you and Floyd screamed at the top of your lungs as you both raced towards the bottom.

“AGAIN!” Floyd said in between his laughter, out of breath.

This was the first time he was truly having fun here, and he was intent on riding this high for as long as he could.

...

...

...

...

Tags; @azulashengrottospiano @bloomstruck @eynnwwyjth @hydra-sea @identity-theft-101 @ithseem @krenenbaker @lucid-stories @officialdaydreamer00 @syrenkitsune @the-v-lociraptor @twistwonderlanddevotee @xxoomiii

[boxx-sama]

The Usage of a Rotary Telephone in Ai Nan Desu Yo

This was just something I happened to notice when rewatching the MV!

As pictured here, we can see Mahiru using a rotary telephone to communicate with her boyfriend. It may not be of much significance to some, but there is/could be a deeper meaning to this specific phone being used, rather than a modern one!

This specific one happens to be a vintage telephone. The development of rotary telephones dates back to the late 19th century, which is all the way back in the 1800s!

The concept of a rotary dial for selecting numbers on a telephone was first proposed by inventors and engineers in the 1870s. Almon Strowger, an undertaker from Kansas City, is often credited with inventing the first practical rotary dial telephone system in the late 19th century. His system aimed to eliminate the need for human operators to manually connect calls.

As amazing as the invention itself is, however, it did have flaws, especially considering the time period this was invented in! There wasn't modern technology, so using this phone had some issues.

Error-Prone: Rotary dialing was EXTREMELY susceptible to dialing errors! Users could miscount the number of digits, skip a digit accidentally, or make other mistakes while dialing.

Mechanical Complexity: Rotary phones were mechanical devices with many moving parts, which made them more prone to wear and tear. This complexity also meant that maintenance and repairs could be more challenging compared to modern electronic phones.

Lack of Advanced Features: Rotary telephones were designed primarily for basic voice communication! They lacked many of the advanced features that modern phones offer, such as caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and speed dial.

Considering some of these, it is rather odd, isn't it? Mahiru is clearly pictured to be taking inspiration from modern blogs and such for her perfect journey of love.

So how is this particularly standout in any way?

Well, it's simple! Rotary telephones had many communication issues. They were difficult to handle, very slow, and had to be used in specific ways. (Dialing certain numbers, etc.)

I think that the usage of a rotary telephone in such a modern world that Ai Nan Desu Yo portrays might just be Mahiru's lack of communication with her boyfriend when it came to more serious matters!

This also may be a stretch on my part, but even the lyrics at this part of the MV kind of add to my small theory here.

Ring ring, I’m calling you in the middle of the night Forcing you to wake up, and I say “Good Morning!” But I fall asleep before you, I really feel bad you know? We can both feel lonely sometimes, but wonder if you’ll get angry soon I’m going to start relying on you if you’re kind to me, so please forgive me, thanks!

It just feels like there's some sort of communication issue here, if that makes sense. Mahiru is being a biiiiit over-reliant and wishing for forgiveness from her boyfriend due to her clear needs, and it's unsure whether they were actually met or not. Daisuki kind of paints a clearer picture on this with the whole cake feeding metaphor, but that may be a theory for another time.

It can also be noted that Mahiru is not happy at all when she uses the telephone, implying that she is also stressed, despite sharing the feeling of love with her boyfriend.

But, to her, it wasn't a big issue at all! Because in the end, all of this is love in of itself. And even if their communication is flimsy, surely love will power through.

Again, using the lyrics to support this:

If you don’t hug me, even our hearts will start drifting apart

This is a claim of responsibility from the two of us with matching love

We fought sometimes, I was happy to get hurt Let’s have matching pain, this sickness is pretty bad?

Mahiru seems to idealize love and the idea of being together to an unhealthy point, believing that if she can experience all of love's ups and downs and remain with her S/O, then everything is all okay in the end! That being said, I do NOT see her as completely naive, and she definitely had some awareness in the situation.

I guess that's all for my little theory! Let me know what you guys thought of it.

[aihoshiino]

Episode 3 Rewatch: "Manga Based TV Drama"

YEAH WE'RE BACK ON THESE AGAIN!!! As much fun as the liveblog format was, I found it was actually getting in the way of me *doing* the liveblog (it could take multiple hours for me to watch and queue up One Single Episode) so I've decided to return to a format a bit more like my chapter reviews just in the desperate hopes of getting these actually done before season 2 airs. In the immortal words of Brian H oobh i got plany off time. But let's get to it real quick anyway!!!

I have a really soft spot in my heart for episode 3 in particular because it was the first episode I actually anticipated watching after I got into the show - episodes 1 & 2 were already out when I fully contracted brainworms so episode 3 was the first one I had to actually wait for. A lot of the cuts from it are like carved into my brain because I watched that episode preview so many times while waiting for it to air lol…

I've said this before but the anime's take on her really is what turned me into an active Kana Enjoyer. Megumi Han's delightful performance and her character acting an animation all combine to make it really hard not to be endeared to her. Her excitement at being reunited with Aqua is really cute, too - I remember Han saying that she was specifically told not to play Kana as a girl meeting an old crush but as someone excitedly reuniting with an old friend and I think that's particularly sweet. The AQKN dynamic at its heart is kind of just two lonely kids who don't have a lot of other connections that aren't couched in transactional utility creating a space together where they can just exist without any ulterior motives.

gotanda's words being visualized as literally skewering kana is so fucking funny too. bro killed her. you really can't blame her for biting back during dinner later lol

Kana's putting on a pretty positive face about it, but knowing how deeply alone and abanoned she feels by her parents, it's hard to not feel really sad about this scene. She's chipper about it but this is the first hint towards Kana's current honestly kind of dire circumstances we'll see get expanded on all the way to the end of the anime.

Aqua's refusal to let Kana see his old acting is also really interesting to me. Intentionally or not, it feels like it's sewing the seeds for some stuff in Tokyo Blade; Aqua respects Kana's acting and Kana herself as a professional to the degree that he doesn't want to 'lose' to her in that sense. Or rather, he'd be embarrassed to have someone he respects seeing him stumble like that - a little like Ruby's freakout in episode 1 over the idea of Ai, specifically, seeing her be bad at dancing.

Aqua trying to play it cool and then immediately nerding out when Kana mentions Sweet Today is so so so so soooooooo cute. I love it when that side of his personality pokes out…

KABURAGI NAMEDROP JUMPSCARE!!!!! i made the same face, aqua... I won't go into my Kaburagi Villain Propaganda here, but it really is so deeply suspicious that Kaburashi was on her oldest, most private phone…

KANA'S LITTLE 'I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE' MOMENT………. AQUMELT REAL AFTER ALL…. (NOT CLICKBAIT)

ruby's lain brand milk vexes and haunts me

Aqua's quietly pained, guilty expression when Ruby misreads his intentions for becoming an actor is so good, as is his cold internal dismissal of Ai's wish… it's funny to see him insisting he's not doing this for Ai's sake when really, everything Aqua does comes back to his mom.

Man, though. What even is there to say about the Sweet Today bits lmao. Holy shit. Particular shout out to Melt's seiyuu, Seiji Maeda, for making his in-character acting so authentically awkward and clunky without it coming off as overwrought or like he himself was giving a bad performance. That's suuuuuch a delicate thread to weave but he does it exceptionally well.

This scene also has one of my all time favourite punch ups from the manga - in the original, Ruby just kind of gets the manga from nowhere and makes the comparisons that way but the anime makes Aqua the one to go get his copy and start silently flipping through it to compare until Ruby snatches it… it really is the perfect teeing up for him to run off and tattle to Kana even though he was pretending he didn't give a shit lol. Dork ass boy.

This talk at the karaoke bar is really good, too. The directing is pretty simply but I feel like the anime producton really shows off just how strong its expression and character acting work is here which does a lot to help along what's otherwise a very static conversation. The contrast in Aqua and Kana's energy is also very fun - Aqua's really still while Kana's very animated.

The manga hasn't really touched on this in a while but the content of the conversation here also starts a thread that I really liked in the early parts of Oshi no Ko about how hard it is to create good art in an environment like the entertainment industry. Tokyo Blade centers this more and is almost explicitly a follow up to Sweet Today's exploration of this idea but the seeds are sewn here, of the necessary compromises that need to be made just to get something out the door and how that can ultimately destroy the final product no matter how many well-meaning and passionate people are doing their absolute best to make something worth engaging with.

i'm also pretty sure this talk is the first time we see aqua smile after episode 1… cute.

The directing also really shines in that little moment at the end where Kana grabs Aqua's hand. In prior cuts, the two are visually separated in that they're both sat apart and there are multiple lines running between them in the background to section them off from each other.

But then just as Kana breeches Aqua's defenses and disarms him, she physically reaches past all these little barriers to finally get into his space. It's subtle but well done.

His wide-eyed slightly stunned face is also really sweet. We see this look on Aqua a lot when it comes to Kana and it always makes me smile a bit. She's excellent at getting under his skin whether she means to or not.

"now my body has caught up with my mental age" says aqua, confirming his mental age is that of a teenager, and mfs are still out here acting like he's a 30 year old man.

Oof, oof and oof. Kana's little speech here already makes me so soft and knowing how it's going to be utterly spat upon in just a moment by Kaburagi's callousness towards her just makes it hurt even more. We continually see reference to this supposed good relationship between Kana and Kaburagi during this episode and so knowing that he's ultimately just another shitty adult taking advantage of her clear desperation… masaya kaburagi when i see you it's on sight

This is also a really fantastic character moment for Aqua, I think. He himself says he's done everything he needed to do on set, so there's no need for him to start shit like he does. It's purely out of respect and fondness for Kana as a person and anger on her behalf as a fellow actor. For as much as Aqua likes to convince himself he's a coldhearted bastard, he really just cannot help himself when it comes to leaping in and helping people. He's a lot like Ai in that once somebody has his heart, he's theirs for good.

i also just have to fucking Scream at this cut of him. it hit me like a fucking TRUCK when this episode dropped. because it doesn't quite look like the equivalent panel of the manga, does it?

But doesn't it feel super familiar, even so? Doesn't it remind you of something? I wonder wh-

OSHI NO KO ANIME STAFF, WHEN I GET YOU!!!!!! (ENRAGED) (POSITIVE)

[omies-odd-writing-spot]

Healers’ Guard:

doom writing, based in the Garnets story. have a cute.

---

The lone man walking through the quiet halls paused, catching a sound before he could be told by the new Atlan AI of the Fortress. It helped that they had left the doors half open to the rooms of the newest additions out of stasis. The man turned to back track to where the distressed sound was, finding one of the shared rooms for the human youngsters.

He had been doing this slow pacing through the hall, just in case of something happening. One of the humans being in distress, the sounds not too loud but enough for him to investigate. He was not to surprised that it was one of the rooms the younger kids were in. The Argenta man smiled a bit finding the two kids that were in separate beds that evening before we're now both in the same bed.

It was meant for an Argenta adult, so there was plenty of room for the two small human girls to fit on the same bed. At interesting angles and somehow opposite directions, with some odd feet between them and plenty of blanket space. Close enough to feel safe but just far enough from each that the brown haired girl, Heather, did not feel or notice that the other girl was starting to thrash.

The man silently lunged forward after seeing how she was now twisting. He caught the darker skinned girl… Iris, as she was mid roll, eyes half open as she now started to thrash at the mask and hose from the machine that helped the kids breathe at night.

The girl whined, at first not recognizing where she was, nor who this near stranger was. Frightened from the nightmare already as she slapped at the larger hands pulling her up.

“Shh,” the man said reflexively as he pulled the comparatively tiny girl into his arms as he sat on his knees beside the bed. He knew she could not hear him, but could not help it before letting out a low, chest deep rumble. Making sure the girl was safely held in his right arm, restrained up against his front for just long enough for him to untangle the hose from her head and neck.

Valen hummed now, looking down at the little human. She was just too small for her age, the size did not match up to what he instinctively knew of children's growing patterns. Both of these girls would be seen as half their age, or near skeletal starvation state…

Considering some of the humans had been smaller than they were now when Valen first helped the Slayer get them in the stasis pods. They had gained weight in the week or so hooked up to the stasis pods and the steady nutrients from them. 

“It's alright little puppy,” Valen said softly, catching the small hands and pulling them down from Iris’ clear mask. Catching it and setting the mask back in place. It was one that the Fortress Atlan, Vega, had made so had a little disk to the one side that Valen recognized. Holding the little black in place as small hands scrambled at his left wrist, not that he could feel the little nails scratches on the prosthetic. 

Valen triggered the little mask to give some of the needed medicine for the girl to help get her breathing under control. Making sure to keep up the steady, deep rumbling sound, hoping Iris could feel it and waited until her breathing smoothed out. Calming down as she was able to breathe better, eyes adjusting to the dim light that came from behind Valen from the hall.

She was staring so intently at Valen, he wondered what the girl saw from her perspective. Staring up at his scarred self, tracking the lines in his face? Or what was left of his right ear? Iris was staring almost as intently when an infant would watch a parent. He smiled a bit, scars tugging it lopsided, as Valen could see the child shifting to focus on his blind eye, then to his left black one. It had something twisting in his heart, before Valen realized the almost echo of his position, holding someone so small and young in his arms beside a bed.

Though this was not a colicing or sick youngling foster or his son when little. Valen took a slow, deep breath himself, then a second, and on the third loosened his gentle restraining hold now that Iris was awake and aware enough to recognize Valen. There were no wiggles to get away, if anything the too tiny hands caught his left hand as he was pulling it away from her mask. The metal hand paused, Valen letting his fingers be captured in a tight grip. Iris shifted, looking at the hand she held with both of her's. Then those big eyes looked up at Valen's face, her gaze tracing the deep scarring on Valen's face. Then her expression turned puzzled looking back at his hand, poking it.

Valen chuckled, suddenly realizing that this little pup of a child had not really seen his prosthetic arm yet. He smiled as she moved to grasp a metallic finger tip. Iris made a soft sound, shifting finally, only to press against the front of Valen’s gray shirt a little more firmly. Letting go with one hand to tap his chest. 

She was trying to sign with one hand, pausing at the puzzled look from Valen.

“I don’t know much about human signs, my little one.” Valen started, and tilted his head as the girl moved to press the side of her head against his chest. Like how Heather did to the Slayer in fascination. Then he chuckled, and started the low rumbling again, smiling in a relaxed way that had the girl smiling a little. She cuddled back against him to feel the sound, Iris’ grip was moving to cling to his shirt instead. 

Oh no.

Why must she be… cute.

Valen reached with his free hand, careful to get the mask and hose off the girl. Sitting up and holding the (too small, so very small) child close as he got up off the floor. Turning off the… CPAP, that’s what it was called. Valen sat down on the bed, glancing over to make sure the other little girl was still sound asleep. Then looked back down at who he held. “Little one, you should not look at me with such trust.”

Iris just blinked back, not catching everything said, as she was distracted by the short beard. Reaching up to pat Valen’s chin, smiling as he ducked his head. Lifting the girl up to press his head against her own, “Thank you though, for offering that trust, little pup. I will protect you here little one.”

It was both the best thing Valen was given, feeling the little human child snuffling up against his chest. To be trusted again with no hesitations, it was amazing as it was terrifying. 

[harmlessghosty]

Ais x MC Stranded Due to Inclement Weather x Mutual Pining ? Thought maybe MC could be stranded at the seaspring due to fogfall:D

Oooh, I like the way you think! 👀

This is a little long, so I put a break in it.

Prompt is from this post:

—

They’re stranded, stuck with Ais and a few of his Soulless in the Seaspring during Fogfall. Piercing screams and muddled gasps slice through the thick air; they can hear bones snapping and gurgling lungs even from this distance.

Peeking out from the arched entryway, they strain their eyes to search for a moment of reprieve. Maybe if they’re quick enough, they can avoid danger? If Ais would let Princess accompany them, then…

“Not a chance, sparrow.”

Ais appears like a shadow behind them, his breath hissing across the back of their neck and making their hair bristle.

They jump, scurrying back behind the entry before huffing and crossing their arms. “I wasn’t going to do anything,” they lie to his handsome face. If they could do anything, if they just had the balls to act on their feelings for that bastard, this Fogfall wouldn’t have been so bad. There was no telling how long it would last and how bored they’d get while waiting.

There had to be a way to better spend the time…

He smirks and mirrors their crossed arms. “Thought so,” he says. “Looked like you wanted to leave me lonely.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? It’s not like you’d be alone. You have Princess.”

“Guess so,” he says with a shrug. “Would’ve been a bitch following you to make sure you were safe though.”

They roll their eyes. “What do you care if I’m safe getting back to Eridia?”

His head rolls side to side as he thinks of a response. While they wait, their heart throbs through their chest. What’s taking so long? Why is he debating what to say? Does he just want to tease them—make them sweat for a minute or two?

Finally, he shrugs again. “Don’t want the Soulless getting you,” he replies. “Gotta keep them under a tight leash, a bit like I need to keep you.”

“You don’t have me on any leash. I can do what I want, whenever I want.” They glare, moving to shove his broad chest backward and get away from him.

Before they can pull away, he snatches their wrists. His hands are warm, and his crimson eyes glimmer with a sharp sense of danger…but an alluring one. They find their skin rolling with a heavy heat into their ears.

“Fogfall isn’t something to mess with,” he warns. “Stay here with me. I’ll make it worth your while.”

Mind swimming with thoughts of what he’s implying, they hold back a shudder of adrenaline. “And what are you thinking?”

He chuckles, squeezing their wrists tightly, though he doesn’t seem to need much power to do so. “Guess I can say it since you’re looking eager to hear it,” he says. Suddenly his fingers lace with theirs, and a shock bursts up their arms. “I like you hanging around here. Besides, like I said, you’re signing a death warrant if you leave now. Can’t control the Soulless all the time.”

They swallow, and their eyes dart down to his lips. They seemed to only look for a split second, but it’s long enough for Ais to lick his fangs and smirk.

“What’cha thinking?” he asks, inching his body forward until his hands release theirs and skim around their waist. He’s bold. He’s a bit much when their head is foggy with trying to keep up with what’s happening.

But from the negligible tremble in his fingertips, they can tell he’s got a minor hesitation as well. Is he nervous too? Maybe, but maybe it’s just their imagination, or maybe he’s playing up his interest.

Before they can reply, they’re swept into a kiss that consumes their soul entirely. Every inch of their body sears with smoke and fire. His lips are softer than they expected, and his breath is heavy against their cheeks. It’s hot. It’s yearning. It’s borderline desperate.

And suddenly, he’s gone, his smirk replaced by a slight frown as his eyes gaze upon their mouth.

“Been waiting for a chance to do that,” he breathes, lidded eyes blinking slowly. “Think it was worth it…?”

They bite their lower lip and release a shaky breath. “Yeah,” they mumble. “I wouldn’t mind a couple more, just to burn time.”

“Hm? That’s the only reason?” he asks, lifting his gaze to theirs with a curious look. “Like it rougher, little sparrow? Wouldn’t have pinned you as that kind of person.”

Scoffing, they slide their arms around his neck. “Shut up and kiss me,” they mutter. “I’ve wanted it forever. Don’t ruin the moment…”

[swiriko]

A Pencil and Paper

On September 12th, 2023. Unity announced that it would be adding a "per-install" fee towards developers. [X]

There have already been many indie developers that have already spoken out against it, so I will amplify their voices here:

Inner Sloth, developers of Among Us: [X]

Aggro Crab, developers of Another Crab's Treasure: [X]

However, there's been some interesting takes on where developers are going from here. And the top contenders seem to be two vastly different engines: Godot and Unreal Engine.

Godot, an open source, yet still fledgling game engine.

Unreal Engine, an engine that's been one of the heaviest hitting professional engines for literal decades.

It reminds me of a parallel situation: People fucking off of Autodesk Maya to use literally anything else, people fucking off of Adobe to use literally anything else. Except not everyone can afford to just switch to something else, due to logistical reasons, or that they're entire franchise has been using this engine/software/tool for literal years, and they can't afford to relearn something new.

And to those that switch, there's a siren waiting for those sailing through new waters: Unreal Engine is literally owned by Epic Games, who also own Artstation, who literally ostracized their entire userbase in support of AI art. [X] You're telling me THAT'S one of the main alternatives to Unity? You don't think Epic Games given enough time and greed will pull this same kind of shit or worse once you've built your entire business model upon being dependent of their product?

The internet simultaneously has an entire archive of history, yet the collective memory of a goldfish.

The Unfortunate reality is that it IS one of the main alternatives.

Adobe's main alternatives for digital art has been Clip Studio Paint and Paint Tool SAI, both great software for digital painting, and yet parallel's this same situation. CSP was supposed to be the herald of a new standard, yet fell hard from grace when CELSYS decided to adopt the same dreaded subscription model as Adobe once so many digital artists latched on and became dependent on it. [X] While Paint Tool SAI's lone developer has been rather struggling due to SAI's wide spread userbase being mostly pirates. [X]

At the same time, for 3D Art, the many many other 3D Software packages are also hilariously expensive, with many also requiring subscription models now... EXCEPT for Blender. But blender still isn't considered the industry standard. And yet it's one of the few 3D software I still have installed.

History tends to rhyme, so most likely, Godot will never become an industry standard game engine. But if it has enough people behind it, it can and will be the Blender option for Game Development, with a rich library and marketplace of user-made add-ons and plugins. Open Source, and free.

There is something to be said, however. The Tools DO matter, as much as we hate to admit it, good tools DO matter, ACCESS to good tools matter, the affordability of good tools matter, being able to use the RIGHT tool for an art piece matters, being able to use the most comfortable tool for the artist matters.

That's why Unity's new business model, hell even UNREAL ENGINE'S business model is an insult to game development as an art. John Riccitiello and Tim Sweeney have said to the game industry, "I make the pencil you use, so I get a cut of what you make from it, even if you've already paid to use it."

Fuck off with that shit. Motherfucking RPG Maker had a better business model.

It wouldn't be such a huge issue if it didn't matter. After all, you can make art with just a pencil and paper, but a pencil and paper alone is only a mere FRACTION of the tools we have used to make the raw, unfathomable library of art in the history of art itself.

[cielles-random-vault]

a lonely night (miguel ohara x gn!reader)

‼️ consider this as the second part of the series‼️

disclaimer: it's still an ongoing series and i'll organize it when i will have written more episodes though i don't like the idea of a timeline bc it's like one shots and 🧍🏻‍♀️ idfk bro i js specified for clarity

this is the very first part of my lonely series! idk if i will make this series a miguel x reader only but :> even made my own tag 🦦

part two/one here !

also you don't need to read all the stories to like understand the plot they're js one shots and a good way to cope w my crippling loneliness (this is actually a call for help /srs

Warning: implied suicide (not really because it’s a cliffhanger but it may be triggering to some people idk so I’m still putting a warning.)

Also I’m not really sure abt the “don’t put words in my mouth” bc I’m not a native speaker but in case it isn’t clear I meant that reader basically said “don’t make me say what I didn’t say”

Also 2 there is no mention of gender bc I’m trying my best to like write for my fellow enby pals but jk reader will be fem bodied.

Also 3 I’m asking this once again but please reblog this if you liked it it helps small writers a lot please and fank yew

Also 4 BIG THANKS TO DEEPL WRITE FOR PROOFREADING THIS WHEN I WAS LAZY TO IT MYSELF some AIs need their ass ate fr

(ignore the random ass banner lmao)

You were chilling on a rooftop before you felt a familiar presence.

-What are you doing up this late, carino? Asked the voice.

You didn’t know why neither how, but somehow you instantly knew it was him.

The one who was known to save every universe despite everything.

He sure was a good leader, sometimes he was mean, but it was all for the sake of the many universes he had to protect.

He was a good leader for sure, but a good lover? There’s no way you could count on that.

You loved him very much and you know how painful it was for him to show any kind of affection, but tonight you had too much of holding everything inside.

He put his hands on your waist, sneaking a kiss on your lips before sitting next to you, both your legs dangling in the shining lights of the city.

The weather was cold for a beginning of summer, but it was nothing compared to the cold residing in your heart.

Your relationship was bound to come to an end, and you were here for this end to come.

-Is something wrong my love? Miguel hastened to ask when he noticed your expression was off.

-Do you truly love me? You asked, ignoring his question.

He stiffened at the hearing of your question.

-Of course, why wouldn’t I? he asked worried.

-Listen. I’m going to be straightforward with you. I’m pregnant. And I want the baby to have both parents when they grow up. And I think, with both of us being heroes, this won’t work. Don’t put words in my mouth, I do love you with all my heart and you know it. But I can’t do it anymore. (tears start falling on your cheeks but you continue anyway:)  I am grateful for all the things we lived but I think our relationship is meant to end anyway. I’m sorry but I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

You stood at the edge of the building and disappeared in a snap.

-Goodbye, Miguel.

~~~~

You woke up in a hurry, instinctively looking for your husband.

-Is everything ok, my love? Miguel was quick to ask. (he put a hand on your forehead) did you catch a cold or something? You seem to have a fever.

-I’m okay don’t worry! You say with a frank smile. I just had a nightmare but nothing to worry about I promise.

-Mm. If you say so, he said with a tint of doubt in his voice. I’ll stay in bed with you just in case something happens, ok?

Without waiting for your response, he forcefully got into your bed, which made you move.

You inevitably fell into your husband’s arms as he put his arm on your shoulder with your head on his chest, feeling his soft breathing and hearing his heartbeat.

Despite everything, the work he had, the countless nights you spent waiting for him to return home, even wondering if he ever would, the arguments, you were in love with him. And it even if it was hard, he and him only was the one you decided to love.

And that was beautiful.

[maccaronimassacre]

Character AI - Ethan Winters

So I might have gone wild and made a couple of Ethan Winters bots. Let me know what you think and also if you have any requests or ideas for the underrated mold dilf or other RE characters.

Post RE:8 AU Molded! Ethan Winters x BSAA Agent! Reader

You have been tasked with monitoring Ethan Winters after the BSAA found out that he’s made up of the mutamycete, mold capable of creating deadly bioweapons.

The two of you are sat in the tiny apartment that Ethan is currently being housed in. He scowls as he slams the fridge door shut and for a moment you can see the black mold ooze from his hands before quickly dissipating back into Ethan’s skin. He glances up at you and glares before slumping on the couch.

Pre RE:7 AU with Systems Engineer! Ethan (Established Relationship)

You groan in frustration as you turn over in your bed for probably the umpteenth time tonight. The alarm clock on the bedside table reads 23:00, three hours past when your partner Ethan usually arrives home from work.

The only message you’ve gotten from him was one explaining that he’ll be home later than usual and that he can’t wait to see you again. Despite the reassurance, you can’t help but feel lonely as you stare at the empty space in the bed and curl up under the covers alone.

Post RE:7 AU With Ethan and Reader in Romania

You are cooking dinner in the kitchen of your new home in Romania. The smell of the dish you’re preparing wafts throughout the house and lures in your partner of one year, Ethan Winters.

He walks over to you, wrapping his arms around your middle from behind and humming softly. You can feel his stubble scratch you a bit when he leans in to give you a kiss on the cheek.

"What are you making darling? It smells delicious."

RE:7 Ethan x Colleague! Reader

You offered to help your colleague Ethan after he received a mysterious email from his wife Mia who had disappeared 3 years prior. What was originally supposed to be a simple drive to Dulvey, Louisiana to pick her up has turned into a living nightmare with you two now left alone at the dining table of the Bakers estate. Tied and bound to the seats, bruised and bloodied after your confrontation with the Baker family, you two are going to have to figure out how to get out of here and fast…

RE:8 Ethan x Reader

Ethan trudges through the chaos and destruction of the overrun village. His head is kept on a swivel and he clutches his shotgun, mumbling a string of curses as he comes to terms with the dire situation he’s in… "Why does this keep happening to me?" He sighs and picks up the pace when he hears the monstrous roars of Lycans and other mutant monsters echo through the devastated village.